Write the task before the shortlist
Describe one complete job, including its starting state and the evidence that proves success. Name the applications, accounts, files, and final operation. “Automate operations” is too broad to test. “Collect the approved monthly report from this account and verify its reporting period” creates a useful evaluation contract.
Then ask which parts can use a supported API or deterministic script. The remaining interface uncertainty is the agent’s job. This avoids comparing a full service with a model API as though their prices and responsibilities cover the same system.
Use hard constraints first
Environment coverage is a hard constraint: a browser-only workflow differs from one that must control a native desktop application. Deployment and data handling may also be hard constraints. Next consider the team: developers may want a programmable framework, while operators may need a managed workflow interface.
Mark unknown evidence as unknown. An absent public claim does not prove a capability is missing, and a broad marketing statement does not establish support for your exact application. Ask vendors to demonstrate the relevant behavior or provide the missing documentation before upgrading an unknown state in your decision table.
Compare a consistent operating envelope
Use the same tasks, starting accounts, time budget, completion rules, and retry policy for each candidate. Include at least one ambiguous target and one expired login. Score accepted output separately from a model’s claim of success. Record intervention time so a system does not appear autonomous while quietly relying on a person to repair every difficult step.
Our editorial pilot sheet includes completed tasks, rejected outputs, action errors, human handoffs, elapsed time, and total resource spend. Keep qualitative failure notes. Two systems with the same aggregate completion rate may fail in very different ways, and those differences can dominate the deployment decision.
Select the stack you can operate
Identify who owns the browser or desktop runtime, credentials, session persistence, logs, model provider, scheduling, and approval UI. Check whether these responsibilities are included in the purchase or remain yours. An inexpensive component can still be the right choice, but only if the comparison includes the work surrounding it.
End the evaluation with a bounded rollout and a fallback path. Our recommendations on this site are editorial architecture guidance, not claims of completed vendor trials. Use the dated evidence dataset to build a shortlist, then use your own accepted-outcome test to make the final operational choice.